Statue of Athena Parthenos
Sculpture; monumental free-standing statue • Roman copy after Pheidias (the original was the chryselephantine statue for the Parthenon)
Style & Movement
Roman Imperial (High Empire) / Classical Greek Revival
Medium & Technique
Pentelic marble; subtractive carving with fine detailing in the drapery (peplos and aegis) and hair.
Creation Period
ca. 170 C.E. (Roman period), based on a 5th-century B.C.E. Greek original
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 8 feet tall (monumental scale); vertical portrait format
Subject Description
Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, depicted wearing a helmet and the aegis (a protective breastplate featuring the head of Medusa). She is shown in a standing pose with heavy, rhythmic folds in her garment. The iconography represents her role as the patron of Athens.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good (Institutional standard). The statue is fragmentary, as is common for ancient marbles.
Estimated Market Value
Inestimable / Museum Property (Market value for comparable Roman monumental marbles of this quality ranges from $5,000,000 to $15,000,000+).
Auction Estimate
N/A - Deemed a national/global cultural treasure; if auctioned, likely $10,000,000 - $20,000,000.
Provenance History
Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1911; formerly in the collection of the Palazzo Giustiniani in Rome.
Art Historical Significance
One of the most important Roman copies of Pheidias' lost gold-and-ivory masterpiece from the Parthenon. It provides crucial evidence for the appearance and scale of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Notable Features
Features the head of Medusa on the aegis; the marble is identified as Pentelic, which was the same material used for the Parthenon itself, suggesting a high-status commission.
Condition Issues
Loss of arms, significant erosion of surface detail in some areas, loss of helmet crest, stable structural cracking, and expected weathering from centuries of exposure.
Conservation Recommendations
Climate-controlled interior environment, low UV lighting, periodic surface dusting by specialists, and seismic bracing for the pedestal.
Collector Notes
New York